A Sin
by R.C. Cummings
Summary: Jane needs clarification of the difference between what is love and what is a sin. She searches many places and even gathers up the nerve to ask her best friend her opinion of the subject... of course that comes after some liquid encouragement.
1. Chapter 1

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **P**

Jane found herself sitting in the pew of the church she had grown up in. She had left Maura's house about an hour ago... just before the woman had woken up on the sofa where they both had fallen asleep watching one of her boring documentaries on the cosmos or something. Jane couldn't remember any of the shows content but did remember everything that had happened from the moment she had woken up till this point.

It had been years since she had been to Sunday mass let alone an early morning one. Yet here she was sitting there pondering life and wondering how suddenly nothing made sense anymore. She hated change… her parents split up and she hated it. Frost died and she hated it… of course there was no way of changing that one. She now looks at Korsak sometimes and sees the man getting grayer day by day. She knows that soon he will retire and that will be a major life change in her daily life. But none of those things had her sitting on a hard-wooden bench listening to a priest talk about sin.

She listens to a few lines of the man's sermon. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God… Romans 3:23 tells us." He said as she looked at the man and wondered why every sermon she could remember harped on sin. "Didn't it also say somewhere in the Bible that God is love and forgiving? And just what is sin?" Were the questions she was asking herself at the moment.

She didn't get the word sin but she knew the meaning of crime… but was sin a crime against God? But how can what she felt be a crime… after all it was love wasn't it? She knew coming to church was a mistake. No one ever got answers here just more questions and rules. But she was stuck until the end of the sermon because leaving would cause eyes on her that she didn't want.

She felt her phone vibrate on her belt and looked at her watch. She knew that it was probably Maura calling but let the phone go to voice mail since she wasn't in a position to answer the call. When the sermon finally came to an end she bolted out of the church as quickly as she could get out and went home to walk Joe for a bit. "Maybe the walk will clear my head." She thought but doubted it would. "How can you clear all this with fresh air when even religion couldn't." Was her last thought before stepping outside with the little Yorkie.

She and the dog walked almost two miles without her realizing it because she was stuck in the memory of soft velvet lips that she had touched with her own this morning... after waking up from one of her exotic dreams that would plague her from time to time. But this time she wasn't in the safe comfort of her bedroom alone. No... this time she had the object of that dream with her and her left arm was at the moment wrapped around Maura. She had slipped easily up and laid the woman down on the pillows and started to put the blanket from the couch over her when desire took over reason and she leaned down and felt those soft lips that she had just dreamed about kissing.

Now she was faced with the reality of... it's no longer just a dream... but is it love or a sin?

* * *

 **This is something that I've been throwing around in my head. I wanted to see if there would be any interest in it. I'll carry it out a couple more chapters to see. If not then back to the drawing board as they say. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **P**

Jane walked into her apartment and heard her phone vibrating on the coffee table.

"Crap..." Was said as she ran to pick up the forgotten device. It was Maura calling... she wasn't really ready to speak with the woman yet but she saw that she had two missed calls and three text waiting and knew that they were probably from the woman. She looked at her phone again as it vibrated in her hand. "If I don't answer it soon she will show up on your door step." Was her thought as she answered the phone.

"Maura... what's up?"

"Are you alright? I've text and called you for two hours now."

"I'm fine... I took Joe out for a walk and accidentally left my phone on the table. I just walked in when you called."

"Oh...okay. I was worried." Maura said with a hint of concern still left in her voice.

"I'm sorry. Is there a case or something?"

"No… I just woke up on the sofa and you weren't there. I wondering when I had fallen asleep and when you had left."

"Well… I think we both fell asleep about the same time and I woke up about five thirty or so and covered you up, then I left before waking you up." She said leaving out the part of her bending down and kissing her.

"Thank you…" was started to be said when they both received a beep of another phone call coming in.

"Rizzoli"

"Isles"

"I'm on my way." Was said as the calls were ended and switched back to the women's original call.

"I'll see you at the scene Jane."

"Yeah… okay." Was the last thing Jane said as she went to change clothes more appropriate for a crime scene.

 **XXXXX**

Jane had a fifteen-minute drive to get her game face on before getting to the scene. She knew that Maura would read her facial expressions and would know that she was having some sort of issue if she didn't.

Pulling up to the scene she took an extra few moments and deep breaths. "Come on Rizzoli get it together it's just Maura." She thought and laughed at herself. "Yeah Maura… who you kissed this morning while she was asleep."

"Oh crap…" was said out loud as another thought hit her. "What if she wasn't asleep?" She allowed herself only one moment with that thought. "No… she would've said something… or would she?" She shook her head and opened the door suddenly trying to escape the silence of the car so her brain would shut off the "what ifs."

"JANE…" was said in an almost panic.

The brunette looked up and realized she had almost flattened Maura when she flung the door open. "Oh Maura… are you okay?" She asked as she quickly got out to check on the woman yelling her name.

"I am but I think I need to be asking you that question."

Jane looked at her puzzled like "why?"

"What were you sitting in your car thinking so hard on? I waited for a few moments for you to get out but it looked like you were having issues so I waited."

"Crap… crap… poker face Rizzoli." She said inside her head. "I was disagreeing with a sports announcer saying the Red Sox weren't going to make the play offs this year." She said waving her hand in dismissal of her friends worry.

"Oh… that explains the facial expressions I was seeing then." Maura said as Jane sighed relief that her explanation was being bought.

"Let's go and see what we have inside." She said as they walked up to the townhouse that had crime tape around it.

They walked into the home of a double homicide. The victims were two young women that appeared to be roommates and attending college at BCU. The scene looked like a blitz attack yet the number of stab wounds showed rage.

"What a waste." Jane said as she looked at the young girls laying in their own blood.

"It is such a sad thing." Maura agreed as she bent over the first body that she came to. "There is so much over kill here Jane."

"There doesn't seem to be any sign of forced entry." Jane said as she started putting on gloves. "Were they sexual assaulted?"

"I cannot determent that until we get them back to the lab but there isn't any sigh of their clothing being torn except where they were stabbed.

"I hate it when they are so young." Korsak said as he approached the women.

"I know what you mean." Jane said in agreement. "Did you find out anything from upstairs?" She asked hoping to find the animal that would do something like this.

"Nothing that I could see but I haven't been a twenty something female before."

Jane looked at him and smiled and said, "Point taken," as she started up the stairs to look at the girl's bedrooms.

The first one she came to looked well maintained for a young adult. It almost looked like a guest room all except the closet had clothes in it. She went to the second bedroom and saw a room worthy of a twenty something year old. She saw a bed unmade clothes strewn all over. She walked over to the bed and noticed it looked like two had slept in it.

"What are you looking at?" She heard Maura ask from the doorway. Looking up she was puzzled why the woman was there. Seeing the question in Jane's face, "Korsak sent me up here after I released the room to CSRU. Now what have you found?" She asked coming to stand beside the woman.

"It looks like two people slept in here last night and no one in the other room."

"Well that could mean many things. Maybe one has a boyfriend or one of the girls has nightmares." Maura said as an explanation.

"Maybe and unfortunately the nightmare came true this time." Jane said frowning at the woman and went to look in the bathroom for male toiletries. Maura started looking at the clothes on the floor and noticed that the clothes were two different sizes.

"Jane... I believe you may be right." Maura started saying as Jane popped her head out to see what the woman had found. "These clothes belong to two different women."

"Bag those." Jane said as she started to get a very bad feeling about this case.

"What are you thinking?" Maura asked knowing the looks of her best friend.

"I have a hunch but I'm going to hold off saying it for the moment just to see what we find out."

"Okay... I'm going back to BPD to do the autopsies then. I'll see you there."

"Sure... I'll be there in a few." Jane said going back into the bathroom to do more investigating as Maura went back down the stairs.

"Did you two figure anything out?" Korsak asked seeing that Maura was leaving.

"Jane is still up there and I believe she is in a thought process about something but she isn't in a sharing mood at the moment."

"Ut oh..." Korsak said looking up the stairs knowing his partner could be a tiger when she was on the trail of something.

"Yeah... it's that kind of process." Maura said and half smile at the man like "good luck."

"I'll see you all back at the station," was the last thing Maura said as she left the crime scene.

Korsak looked up and decided that he would give Jane her time to process since he enjoyed his head where it was at the moment. One couldn't ever tell which way the process would lead. She could have a hot lead and be happy or a bad theory that would get one's head bitten off if not careful.

Jane found herself sitting on the toilet seat hoping she was wrong about what might have happened but her gut said otherwise. She blew out a breath and started gathering up the clues and preparing herself for the parent notifications which were really going to suck but someone had to do it. But at least she hoped she was able to arrest whoever had done this.

 **Thank you for all the response. I will finish this thought but I need the ladies to be in their elements so a case was needed. I know I'm leaving it at a cliff hanger but time is like gold at the moment for me. With that said in order to post quickly... hangers must happen. Also forgive editing errors... I will correct as quickly as I can.**


	3. Chapter 3

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **(Chapter Three)**

 **P**

Jane walked into the morgue hoping to get more information on the stabbings before she went upstairs to notify the parents of their horrible loss. She had the names of the two girls lying coldly facing the ceiling of the morgue already.

A shiver went up her spine for some unknown reason as she looked at them. She had seen so many bodies in this same supine position and yet, a few would just shake her, like these two did. It was similar to an earth quake on the inside of her being and she had no explanation for it.

"Jane… I didn't know you were here." Maura said as she walked into the room from her office dressed in scrubs.

"I just walked in. Our victims' names are Mary Allison Carter twenty…" she said pointing at the first table. Then she pointed at the second table, "…and there is Linda Bethany McDermott nineteen. They were both from Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Alley was enrolled at BCU while Bethany was supposed to start there in the fall."

"Stockbridge…" Maura said looking surprised a bit, "they are a little ways from home. Stockbridge is in the west part of the state. Norman Rockwell did several of his paintings from there. It was first established in 1734 as a mission for the Mahican Indians."

"Maur!" Jane elevated her voice to stop the whole Wikipedia information of Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

"What?" She retorted back sharply being startled by Jane's elevated voice.

"Google much?" Jane said sarcastically.

Maura half smiled at the comment being thankful that Jane was at least displaying her normal disposition at her fact rambling," Sorry… it's just so sad and I talk… trying to think about anything but the waste of youth that is on those tables." Maura said pointing at the bodies.

"I know…" Jane said sighing, "… now I have to go and call two sets of parents and tell them that their daughters are dead." She said just looking off into space.

"Jane… is everything okay?" Maura asked and waited an answer that she thought might not come, with the woman just standing there starring.

"Jane…" she tried again.

"Hummm…" Jane said realizing she needed to answer something but never heard the question.

"I asked if everything is alright with you… I'm getting concerned."

"I'm okay…" She said and half smiled hoping that would satisfy Maura's worry for the moment. "…do you have any information for me before I go call their parents?"

"No… the bodies just arrived for me to autopsy. I made sure that the techs took extra time in prep them... so that no evidence would be lost if there was any to be found."

"Thanks… you are always so thorough on every case… It's what I love about you." Jane said giving the woman a complement before leaving quickly after having the word love slip out. She looked back behind her just in time to see the woman smiling at the statement and was grateful that Maura had taken the word at face value and not how her heart really meant it.

She thought her knees were going to buckle at the bright smile on the woman's face though... but thankfully she made it to the elevator without having an emotional melt down. "God… if this is a sin then I am bound for hell." She thought as she felt the fluttering of butterflies in her stomach. She entered the elevator shaking her head trying to clear the thought. "Get a grip Rizzoli… or you will slip up again and lose your best friend." She said to herself in the elevator.

After the personal scolding, she walked to her desk and noticed that Korsak already had pictures up on the board and sighed hard as she sat down in her chair.

"Jane… I can make the calls if you want me to." Korsak said knowing where the deep sighing was coming from.

"No… it's my turn. I got it." She said looking at the older man like "thank you anyway," then turned to get the phone number for Mary Allison Carter's parents out of her notepad.

She had gotten the number from a notebook that was on the table as an emergency contact for the girl. Taking one last deep breath she dialed the number. The call was answered on the third ring with a woman saying "Hello."

"May I speak with Mr. or Mrs. Carter?" She asked.

"I am Mrs. Carter. Who is this?"

"Mrs. Carter… My name is Detective Jane Rizzoli. May I ask if your husband is near you?" Jane asked knowing the woman would be upset and wanted someone near her for the notification just in case she freaked out. It had happened before.

"He is standing right here. What is this all about Detective?" The woman said with her voice rising fearing the worst.

"I am sorry to inform you this way but your daughter Mary Allison Carter was found dead this morning in her townhome in Boston." She said and heard the phone hit the floor. She imagined the woman dropped it with the shock of the news. She waited on the line hoping the woman would pick it back up or the husband would.

She heard muffled voices and a somewhat sound like a woman crying.

"Hello… who is this? If this is some kind of prank I'll…"

"Mr. Carter…" Jane said in the kindest of tone she could, knowing the shock the two must be feeling. "… I wish I could tell you that it was a prank but I am Detective Jane Rizzoli of the Boston Homicide Unit and your daughter was found dead this morning.

"Homicide," he yelled!

"Yes sir."

"Was she murdered?"

"Your daughter is undergoing an autopsy at the moment to determine the cause of death. That is all I am at liberty to say at the moment."

"But you think that she was murdered." Jane could tell the man was running on adrenalin.

"Sir… I can tell you that an investigation into her death has been started and she is undergoing an autopsy at the moment. That is all I can tell you over the phone. If you would please come to the station we can give you more information and you can ID the body.

"ID the body? So… it might not be our Alley! He said grasping for straws.

"Sir… having the body physically ID is protocol. We know it is your daughter Mary Allison Carter. I am truly sorry for your loss."

She almost could feel the reality of her words sink into the man. "Thank you… Detective… my wife and I will be driving to Boston and should be there by this afternoon."

"Yes sir… I will be here when you arrive." She said hanging up the phone. "One down, one to go." She thought as she got on her computer to see if she could get Bethany McDermott's number. Unlike Allison's her emergency contacts were nowhere to be found.

The next-door neighbor had provided the victim's name and said she had moved in with Allison about six months earlier. Jane was wondering if maybe the woman was running from something. There was no driving license or ID in the townhouse that they were able to find.

She ran the full name of Linda Bethany McDermott and found that her parents did live in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. "Here goes nothing," she thought as she called the number. She noticed that the girl had no record and no driver's license at all.

The phone rang several times and she was just about to hang up when a breathless woman answered the phone.

"Hello"

"Am I speaking to Mrs. McDermott?"

"Yes… you are and we don't want anything that you want to sale!" She said and slammed the phone down before Jane could stop her. She regrouped a moment and dialed the number again and tried another approach.

The woman answered and started, "I told you…"

"Mrs. McDermott I am Detective Jane Rizzoli of the Boston Homicide Unit."

"Homicide," the woman slowed her attitude slightly.

"Yes ma'am…" Jane decided the woman was tough enough to handle the news straight forward so she started, "I am sorry to inform you that your daughter was found dead this morning.

"That's impossible… my step daughter is away to Ecuador on a missionary trip. She left over six months ago and she will not return for another six months."

"Ma'am have you been in contact with your daughter since then?"

"She called when she arrived, just before they went into the jungles."

"May I put you on hold for just one moment?"

"Yes… if it's not too long my show is about to come on."

Jane looked at her phone like it had turned into an alien. "No… ma'am it will only take a few moments." She said as she pulled her cell phone off her belt and put the woman on hold.

"Maura… have you run the finger prints yet on the girls that were found this morning."

"Okay… thanks."

She took a deep breath before taking the woman off hold, "Mrs. McDermott I hate to inform you but fingerprints prove that the girl in our morgue is your step daughter Linda Bethany McDermott. If you and your husband would come down to the precinct I will give you more details."

"I will have him call you when he gets back in from his truck run tomorrow… but I believe you are mistaken. Now my gospel show is coming on and I do not want to miss it. I will be praying for you since lying is a sin." She said and slammed the phone down again in Jane's ear.

"For the love of God… no wonder the girl ran away." She thought to herself.

"What's up with you?" Frankie asked his sister after seeing the face she made hanging up the phone.

"Nothing… I just do not get religious people at all. It's thank you Jesus one moment and damn you to hell the next." She said as she turned to Korsak. "You need to write under Bethany that she possible ran away for home." Jane thought to herself, "I would say good for her except that she got killed. Maybe she had fun for at least six months though." Anyway, she hoped did.


	4. Chapter 4

**I feel the need to apologize for the lack of editing on my last chapter. I have just reread and fixed it. I'm on the down side of a bad sinus infection. I have been fighting it for about a month on my own. I know it was stupid… but I hate doctors. Well unless… oh wait that is another story and not one I want to publish.**

 **Anyway… I finally went and now I'm getting the fuzz out of my head. I still will take responsibility for my errors though but at least I have an excuse for the moment.**

 *** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **(Chapter Four)**

 **P**

Jane had a few hours before the Carters arrived. She thought about going to see what the techs had pulled from the town house but that would mean possibly running into Maura. That idea was quickly snuffed out with a huff. She couldn't go on any interviews either because she promised to be there when Alley's parents arrived and she wasn't for sure when that would be so she sent Frankie instead.

The next best thing to do was to go and get a cup of coffee… at least running into her mother at the moment was more desirable than Maura. "Hey Korsak… I'm going to the café you want anything?

"I'm good… you go ahead."

"Okay… call me if the Carters show up."

"Will do," he said not even looking up from the file he was reading.

She walked into the café and went straight for the coffee decanters. "Janie"

She heard her name and cringed knowing it was her mother. "Damn…" was whispered under her breath, "Hey ma…" She said turning with her coffee towards the counter where her mother was standing. "What are you doing here on a Sunday?" She asked even though she knew the answer.

"I told you Mr. Stanley had to go out of town this weekend and I told him I would cover it. You never listen to me."

"Yes I do." Jane said making a scrunched up face cutting her mother off.

"Yeah... yeah... why are you here on a Sunday?" Angela asked her daughter rolling her eyes.

"Got a case..."

"Oh..."

"Yeah and the parents of one of our victims is really religious."

"Ooo... it was kids. That's sad." She said making a sad face along with the words.

"And get this ma... the step mom told me I was sinning by lying to her about her daughter being dead." Jane said hoping to open a dialog on the subject.

"Why would you lie about something like that?"

"Right..." Jane agreed indignantly. "Anyway what is a sin really anyway?"

"Jane... you know what a sin is... you grew up in church."

"I did ma but I have to be honest... I'm just not so sure anymore."

"You are not sure about what?" Maura asked as she came up behind Jane and caught part of their conversation.

"Sin... Maura have you ever heard such a crazy statement in all your life. My child who was brought up in church all her life doesn't understand the definition of sin."

"Ma!" Jane said loudly hoping to cut the rant off, "Maur... do you have anything that will help the investigation?" She asked hoping that would side track the conversation.

"Yes I do... and the definition of sin according to Merriam-Webster is an offense against a religious or moral law or an action that is or felt to be highly reprehensible..."

"Maur..." Jane jumped in the middle of her rant wanting it stopped. The woman looked at Jane surprised, "I just need to know what you have found out about the case... please."

"Oh... Mary Allison Carter was about six weeks pregnant." Jane looked at her with a totally shocked look. "Jane... Are you okay?"

"Yeah... are you sure about that Maur? She asked then looked at the woman's face, "Of course you are sure." She said as she sat down in one of the chairs trying to fit this information into the puzzle that didn't fit the picture she was thinking it was.

"Jane..." Maura said again being concerned about her friend's reactions.

"Her parents are on their way here and I have to tell them that not only is their twenty year old daughter dead but their grandchild too. I hate my job sometimes."

"Jane... I can inform them if you want me too." Maura said with compassion on her face. Jane wanted to kiss her again but as far as she knew Maura didn't know about the first time... let alone having her mother thinking she was highly reprehensible. "Jane..." Maura said again and touched the woman's fore arm. "... are you sure you are feeling okay?"

"I'm fine Maura..." she said standing up, "... I'll call you before we come down." She said walking out of the cafe.

Maura and Angela watched her leave, "I'm concerned about her." Angela said to Maura.

"She will be all right. I think this case has got her upset. The girls were very young." Maura said offering an explanation to give Angela peace but she was concerned herself. She made a note to herself to try and get her friend alone and talk further about the situation.

 **I know it's a short update but its best I can do... :(**


	5. Chapter 5

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **(Chapter Five)**

 **P**

Jane made it back up to her desk after riding the elevator up and down missing her floor a couple of times as she stayed in deep thought. "How could I be so off?" She questioned herself over and over. "How could she have been pregnant?"

"You got something Jane?" Korsak asked as he looked up at her coming through the doors.

"Yeah… sort of, Mary Allison Carter was six weeks pregnant."

"Pregnant?"

"Yeah…"

"Who's the father?" He asked to himself more than Jane. "No one we interviewed gave a hint of her having a boyfriend of any sort." He said looking at the photos on the board. "Most said of them, that the two girls were really close. I would have thought they were together... if I was guessing." He walked over to the board and was thinking out loud. "You know... if it had been gun shots instead of stab wounds I would have may be thought a domestic fight gone bad."

"You too," Jane looked at him almost thankfully that she hadn't lost her mind in thinking the girls were together. Following the man's train of thought for a moment, "I guess the two still could have been together and the father found out or something and killed them."

The man shook his head up and down agreeing with her, "It's a possibility… maybe Frankie's interviews will reveal the father's name." He said sitting down at his desk as Jane sat at hers.

She was pleased that she wasn't totally off from her scene profiling if Korsak was getting the same vibe. But now she had another troubling thought to deal with.

"…the definition of sin according to Merriam-Webster is an offense against a religious or moral law or an action that is or felt to be highly reprehensible." Maura's voice was going over and over in her head.

"Would she think my kiss was reprehensible? It didn't feel that way to me… and she didn't say it was. Of course, she didn't, she was asleep…" Her desk phone ringing interrupted her progression of thought.

"Rizzoli"

"Thanks Joe, I'll be down to get them in a moment." She said as she hung up the phone.

"The Carters' or the McDermott's," Korsak asked as she stood to go and meet a set of parents in the lobby.

"Carters'… thankfully," she said breathing out a breath of relief that made the man give her a questioning look. "Don't ask right now. You will see soon enough." She said as she turned the board so no one could see the pictures from the hall since she would have to bring the parents past the squad room to one of the interrogation rooms to talk with them privately after showing them their daughter's body. She pulled her phone from her belt and dial Maura's number.

"Hey... the Carter's are in the lobby. Is Alley's body ready to be viewed?"

"Okay... we will be down in a few moments." She said taking a deep breath as she closed her phone and headed to the elevators.

 **XXXXX**

Jane had been rubbing the scars on her hands all during the ride down in the elevator. The doors opened and she saw a nice looking couple standing by the information desk and approached them, "Mr. and Mrs. Carter?"

The man looked at her and she could tell that they both had been crying at some point because both of their eyes were red. The lady had a Kleenex in her hand ready for use. "Yes... I am Gerald Carter and this is my wife Allison Carter." Jane gave a half smile seeing the resemblance the young girl had with her mother as she shook their hands. "I am truly sorry for your loss."

"Wh en can weeee see herrr..." was struggled out by the woman who was now holding the Kleenex to her mouth trying to contain her sobs. Her husband wrapped his arm around her giving her support. Jane breathed in deeper trying to contain the empathy tears that wanted to join Mrs. Carter's.

"I'll take you to see her but first I'll have to sign you in and get your visitor badges." She said as Joe at the desk just handed her the badges motioning that he would sign them in for her. She mouthed a "thanks," as he gave her a look of "sorry."

She took them down to the morgue and right in front of the viewing window which had the blinds down so no one could see in. "Are you ready for this?" She asked knowing that it was going to be one of the hardest things that they had ever done. They both shook their heads yes. She knocked on the window softly and the blinds slowly lifted up. Maura had the body covered except for the head and was standing beside the girl.

"Dear God! No... No! No...No...No! Not my Alley! God... no not my little girl!" Was yelled so loudly and then the woman's knees gave way as she fell to the floor on them in hysterical sobbing." The man caught her and went with her to the floor. Tears were pouring down his cheeks but he was in shock and couldn't say a word or he was trying to be strong for his wife. The blinds went back down quickly as Maura went through her office to try and help Jane with the grieving couple.

"How? Why Gerald? She was such a good girl!" The man just held her tighter.

Jane knew there was no way of getting information from them at the moment. They were in a world of trauma all their own and really the grief that she was seeing just stole her questions away like a tidal wave.

Maura stuck her head out of her office door, "Jane... why don't you bring them in here and out of the hall."

Jane looked at the woman for a moment and thought she was an angel sent from heaven. The man had heard what Maura said and stood, he and Jane ended up both having to help the grieving mother to her feet and out of the floor.

They sat in Maura's office until the couple gathered themselves some from the shock of seeing their daughter lying on the autopsy table. "Mr. and Mrs. Carter I really do need to speak with you about your daughter's death..." Jane started but saw Maura shaking her head no like "not now" behind the couple. "Do you think you could come back in tomorrow after some of the shock has worn off?"

The man looked at her and it seemed that he had gathered himself enough to answer her question. "We will get a hotel room for tonight and come back tomorrow and see about getting her body sent back to Stockbridge. We can speak then detective but I think the idea of getting my wife somewhere quiet for a while is a very good idea." He said and paused a moment looking down for a moment then raised his head, "I need to know one thing before I go though... was she murdered?"

"I can't take this right now!" the woman yelled as she popped up running from the room. Maura followed behind her to make sure she was safe and someone had an eye on her.

"Yes sir, she was murdered. I will tell you more tomorrow but now I think you really need to take care of your wife and yourself. Here's my card... call me anytime day or night if you need too. I will answer." He took the card and shook the woman's hand and followed the same path his wife had gone.

Maura walked back into her office several moments later. She had taken the couple back upstairs and signed them out. She was surprised when Jane didn't follow them up stairs to see them out as well.

"Jane..."

She said to the frozen woman looking at the couch where the mother had cried a lifetime of tears in mere moments sitting there. Maura came up and placed a hand on Jane's fore arm trying to get the woman's attention from the daze she was in. The soft touch caused Jane to turn and look at the woman. She looked into concerned emerald eyes and suddenly she needed the warmth of those eyes to flow through her cold veins.

She reached and engulfed the woman in a hug. Maura was at a loss at what was happening but she wrapped her arms around Jane's waist and pulled her tightly in because she could feel the woman shivering. She had never seen her best friend react this strongly to a homicide before but she decided that she would be there for her in whatever way was needed at the moment and then later try and get answers.

After about five moments Jane pulled back and looked at Maura and gave an "I can't explain this right now look" that Maura nodded in understanding of. Jane walked out of her office leaving Maura more concerned than ever about her friend.

 **I know it's been a while since I up dated sorry but life... is all I can say. I try harder for a quicker post on the next chapter... promise.**


	6. Chapter 6

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **(Chapter Six)**

 **P**

It had been over two hours since the parents melt down in the morgue hallway. Maura hadn't really kept up with the time because she busied herself in writing the two autopsy reports. She had a hard time focusing at first on the reports given all the emotional grief that was displayed earlier.

Her mind had wandered more than once to Jane's reaction to all the grief but she knew better than to approach the subject too soon. She looked at the clock then to her phone to make sure she hadn't missed a call because Jane would have normally texted her by now. She made a face when she saw no texts or calls from Jane. She decided to go and check on the woman under a ruse.

She went across the hall to the crime lab to see if there was any new information from trace evidence and found that Jane had already called asking about an hour ago. Saddened that she didn't have any more news that she could use for her ruse, she decided a cup of coffee from the café would have to do the job instead. Her autopsies were straight forward and there was no more information than what she had already given Jane. So, she tucked the file under her arm and walked to the elevator secure in her planned approach.

Walking into the café she heard, "Maura… thank God you are here. I need to talk to you about Jane." Angela said to the woman ushering her over to a corner of the café so they could talk privately.

"What is it Angela?" Maura said looking concernedly at the woman that had her by the shoulders guiding her.

"What's wrong with Jane?" The older woman asked with a stern face.

"What do you mean?" Maura asked confusedly. Angela looked around making sure that no one could hear her and that her daughter hadn't come in the café to see her talking to Maura.

"Alma Bintelli called me and said that Jane had gone to the early mass."

Maura looked at the woman not following her train of thought. Granted the idea of Jane and church didn't seem normal but she was Catholic. "Maura… it's not Christmas and Jane only goes to Christmas mass because I guilt her into it." The woman said giving more explanation to her concern.

"Oh…" Maura said finally getting what the older woman was saying. "Angela… while I agree Jane's behavior is not like normal…"

"She didn't sleep in church either." Angela said before Maura could finish her sentence.

"What?" Maura asked as the statement totally puzzled her.

"When Jane goes to church with me she falls asleep halfway through the mass but Alma said Jane listened to the priest all the way through the service then left quickly afterwards. I'm worried Maura, I already grilled Frankie about it and he had no clue. So, you are my last hope at finding out what's going on with her."

"Angela…" she said looking at the woman slightly frustrated, "… even if I knew what was going on I couldn't… no I wouldn't break Jane's trust by divulging that information."

"So, you don't know either." She said still trying to get information from the woman.

"No… I do not have a clue to what is bothering Jane. Her behavior is concerning to me but I am sure she will work through whatever it is or ask for help if she needs it." She said not really believing the last part of her sentence.

She really needed to get away from the woman since the sentence did border line on lying. "If you will excuse me now… I was on my way to give Jane a file and was going to take her a cup of coffee while I was at it." She said making her escape quickly from the woman and headed towards the coffee then to the elevator. She blew out a breath of relief when the doors opened to Jane's floor. She walked in and saw Frankie and Korsak but Jane was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh… Dr. Isles your still here." Korsak acknowledged her presence surprised that the woman hadn't gone home yet. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"No… but thank you, I just brought Jane a cup of coffee and these autopsy reports." She said and placed the file and coffee on Jane's desk.

"Well it's going to get cold there Maura." Frankie said joining in the conversation, "She went home thirty minutes ago."

"She did?" Maura said puzzled that the woman had left without say goodbye.

"Yeah… She called down to the lab to see if there was anything new on the two murders from this morning and when they said no she told Korsak and me that she was going home."

"She didn't say it but I think the parents viewing really got to her this time." Korsak added.

"It was very dramatic to say the least." Maura said trying to agree but not wanting the men to know how it really had affected her friend. "In that case help yourself to the coffee if you like. I am going to head home as well. Have a good night gentlemen."

"You too Maura," Frankie said picking up the coffee.

"Yeah… good night Dr. Isles," Korsak said grinning that Frankie got the coffee before he could.

 **XXXXX**

Maura got into her car and was prepared to head home. She had texted Jane when she returned to her office to gather her belongings. She just wanted to inquire if Jane was okay but there hadn't been a response to it.

She sat in front of the steering wheel and was having scenarios of why the woman hadn't answered running through her head. She might be in the shower or maybe she fell asleep or is walking Joe Friday and forgot her phone. These all seemed to be plausible reasons but knowing Jane she thought, she is more than likely at the crime scene trying to figure out whatever it was that was bothering her. So, she pointed her car in the direction of the said crime scene they were at this morning.

When she pulled up she saw Jane's cruiser outside the town house that had the crime scene tape across the entrance. She smiled as she got out of her vehicle. "I knew you would be here." She whispered to the car door as she shut it.

She walked up to the door and noticed it slightly opened and went in. She looked around and didn't see Jane on the first level and headed up the stairs. She finally found the woman sitting on a bean bag in the second bedroom just staring at the unmade bed.

"Jane…" she said testing the waters. Jane looked up at her puzzled as to why the woman was there. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm thinking… why are you here?" She asked now truly wondering why the woman had shown up at the crime scene.

"I was looking for you?"

Jane got a quizzical look on her face, "Why?"

"For starters, you didn't return my text and you left work without saying goodbye… which is not like you."

Jane's face softened, "I'm sorry Maur… I'm just…" She started saying but then trailed off and looked down at the floor. Maura walked into the room and came within a few steps of the woman. "Jane…" She said and waited for the woman to look at her but she didn't. "… What is it? I'm concerned about you."

Jane never lifted her head, "Korsak and I both believe that these two were together but I can't find any evidence that they were." She said and sighed.

Maura looked at the woman confused but offered, "Maybe they were just good friends like we are." She said and noticed Jane's eyes close and her shoulders came up slightly like she had been touched unexpectedly.

Jane stood quickly, "Yeah… maybe they were and walked past Maura and out the door."

Maura came out behind her. "Where are you going?"

"Home to get a beer you are welcome to come if you want too." She said even though she wanted to be alone at the moment. But that wasn't being fair to Maura. She didn't know what was going on and she didn't know that she wanted to hold the woman and kiss her again but was afraid that she would look disgustedly at her. She didn't know that she was thinking about sinning with her.

"I'm going home and change. That will give you some time to collect your thoughts but I will be at your door step in an hour and I will bring dinner with me." She said as Jane locked the scene's door.

"Alright… I'll see you then." She said and headed to her car. "But no healthy stuff for dinner though… my mood can't take it." She said and turned and smiled at her. Maura smiled a big smile back at the woman knowing that she was trying to ease her concern while also warning her not to bring over any type of leafy salads at the same time. They got in their cars and drove opposite ways.


	7. Chapter 7

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **y**

(Chapter Seven)

Maura knew that she would have to put Jane in her comfort zone if she was going to get any answers from the woman. She stopped by the Dirty Robber and picked up the "to go" order she had place while she was changing into her yoga pants. While she hated the smell that was going to be left in her car for days of greasy french-fries she deemed it a worthy endeavor if the food made Jane open up to her.

She knocked on the woman's apartment door as promised one hour later. Jane opened it and immediately had a big smile when she saw the Robber sacks in Maura's hands. This pleased Maura beyond any words could have at the moment.

"Here is your non-healthy dinner as requested Detective." She said putting forth the bags.

"You do spoil me Dr. Isles." Jane said taking one of the bags from her hands and looked in it and huffed and stomped her foot. "Maur!"

Knowing what had happened Maura busted out laughing and walked in and handed her the other bag containing her cheeseburger while she took the bag from Jane's hand that contained her healthy leafy salad.

"Better?" She asked the pouting woman.

Jane looked inside and grabbed a french-fry and popped it in her mouth. "Better," she said while chewing. They went to the breakfast bar to eat their dinner. Jane gave Maura a wine glass for the bottle she had brought while she got herself another beer.

Maura decided to let Jane guide the conversation while they ate hoping that it would ease the woman into telling her what was going on, but was frustrated when Jane announced, "There is a Sox game on."

"Jane… I didn't come over here to watch baseball."

The woman hung her head, "I know."

"What is it Jane…" Maura asked but held up from asking the big question she wanted to know. "What was that in the morgue earlier today?"

"I guess this case is bothering me is all." Jane threw out hoping to deflect a bit. "I have another set of parents coming in tomorrow to talk too about their daughter's death." She said and went and got another beer.

"Jane… something besides this case has you upset. Your mother told me that you went to mass this morning." She said trying to stave off the woman's deflection and surprise her into talking by pushing the envelope a bit.

Jane looked up in a mild shock to the statement with a look of "How?" But then she closed her eyes in a resolution of knowing and said "Alma."

"Yes… that is who Angela said had told her that you had gone to church." She agreed and reached out to touch Jane's arm when the woman sat back down. "You didn't mention that you were going to church on Saturday night. What made you go?"

Jane opened her eyes and just froze for several moments trying to gather something to answer the question with. Then she took a drink of her beer. "I just needed an answer to something and thought I could find it there but I was wrong. Anyways it doesn't matter; I've got this case to solve now."

"Jane…"

"No… Maura if I solve this case… I know I will solve my question."

Maura took a deep breath, "May I at least ask what the question is?"

"Not yet… but soon though." She said then realized that she might could get an answer from the woman if she spun it just right herself. "But you can answer another question for me."

Maura looked at her puzzled, "If Alley and Bethany were together as a couple…" she paused to let that sink in, "…do you think their love was reprehensible?"

"To me personally no, but too many it would be considered that way. Why are you asking?"

"Bethany's step mom is coming in tomorrow and she is super religious. She told me that I was committing a sin by lying to her that her step daughter was dead."

"Oh…" Maura said taking in a big breath of air in relief as Jane looked at her confusedly. "That is why you were talking to Angela about sin."

"Yeah…" Jane played it off well. "After today's mommy melt down in the morgue tomorrow maybe the opposite with the righteous explosion. And I can only imagine what will happen if I have to tell that woman her step daughter was in a gay relationship."

"But Jane… the girls might have only been good friends like we are." She said on purpose to see what would be the reaction this time. It was almost the exact same facial expression that she had received in the town house earlier but this time Jane moved to sitting on the couch with her beer instead of leaving the room. This made Maura think that Jane was having issues with their friendship. "Jane… Are you upset with me?" She asked as she came and sat by Jane on the couch.

"God no…" Jane said and looked at Maura with tears threatening in her eyes. "I just need to solve this case… I promise."

Maura could see the mixture of fear, pain, and almost anger in Jane's eyes. She realized she needed to let sleeping dogs lay for the moment. To push further would be risky, "Okay Jane… but you know I am always here for you no matter what."

Jane smiled and again pulled the woman into a hug… "I know and thank you."

"Two hugs in one day," Maura thought, "… this is serious. But I'm here for you."

She said nothing when Jane turned the Sox game on but didn't move an inch from where she was sitting. She really couldn't tell where she ended and Jane began but decided that maybe Jane was in need of closeness after the rough day. If she was honest she actually enjoyed having Jane this close. The game went into extra innings and the women found themselves in the same position they were in on Saturday… asleep on each other's shoulders.

 **This is a slow burn but hang on we are coming around the bend soon... promise.**


	8. Chapter 8

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **(Chapter Eight)**

 **P**

It was 2am when Jane's phone vibrated waking both the women out of a deep sleep. Jane's eyes flew open and she was looking straight into emerald eyes. The sight took her thought process totally away from her. She began leaning forward as her phone vibrated again causing her to jump out of the fog Maura's eyes had caused her to fall in.

"Rizzoli…"

"Yeah… okay. I'll be right there… Just calm down Mrs. Carter I'm sure he will be okay. Give me a few minutes and I'll be there." She said then hung up the phone as she stood. She couldn't trust herself to continue being that close to Maura and not kiss her.

"What is it Jane?" Maura asked concernedly.

"Mr. Carter woke up with chest pains and they are taking him to the hospital. I'm the only one that Mrs. Carter knows in Boston and I really need to get going." She said starting for the counter hoping she could avoid any questions about the previous moment. "You can stay here if you like."

"No… I'll come with you." Maura said standing up.

"That's okay Maur I got this. One of us has to have a clear head for tomorrow and that requires sleep. Go home and get some rest if it suits you better."

Maura looked at the woman who she thought was about to kiss her moments ago and pondered her words, "I'll go home where I can rest in my own bed instead of getting muscle spasms from sleeping on your couch." She said placing her hand on her already stiffened neck. She decided to give the woman an escape because she hadn't totally processed what had just almost happened or if it was going to happen.

Jane shook her head in understanding, "Okay…" she said as she got her gun and placed it on her belt. They walked out together, "See you tomorrow." Jane said as she got into her cruiser before she could even hear a reply from Maura.

 **XXXXX**

Maura got into her car and sat there watching Jane leave. Her mind went back to only moments ago when Jane's lips were so close she could feel the woman's breath on her own lips. Things were starting to fall into place, all the discussion about sin and the heightened emotions about the girls' death.

Jane may be having deeper feelings for her than she realized. She started the car and headed home. Her thoughts were rolling around in her head until she pulled up to a stop light and Jane's words went through her mind, "I just need to solve this case… I promise."

"Does she think the emotions will disappear when the case does?" She asked herself. The light changed to green and the only other car on the street that just happened to be behind her beeped. She looked in the rear view mirror then at the light and pressed the gas. But her thoughts continued the same track. She remembered the mixture of fear, pain, and anger in Jane's eyes earlier.

"I do not know the words to open the gate and allow all that out Jane. But I'm not going to stop looking for the key to open the gate." She said to herself as she parked her car and went into her house.

 **XXXXX**

Jane had chided herself all the way to the hospital. "You almost kissed her again and she was awake! God… what were you thinking?" Then a thought hit her, "she didn't move away from me."

"She was still half asleep and didn't expect you to lip lock her you stupid…" She said as she pulled into the hospital parking lot. She took in a deep breath to steady everything out before going in knowing that Mrs. Carter was going to be a handful, if the morgue was any indication of how she handled stress.

She walked into the lobby and saw the woman sitting in the waiting area all alone. She looked so small, "Mrs. Carter." The woman looked up and an instant look of relief registered on the woman's face. Jane walked over and sat down beside the woman who took her hand and sat back in her chair. Jane started to ask her something but realized all the woman was in need of was a familiar face and a strong hand to hold on to. So, she just sat back and waited with the woman.

 **XXXXX**

Jane walked into BPD after going home and changing clothes because Mr. Carter had been released with the diagnoses of a panic attack. She couldn't blame the man for having one, especially with everything going on in his life right now.

When she got to her desk she noticed a message saying that the McDermott's would be coming into the office at two. "Great I can go and do some interviews on my own today." She thought to herself and started looking at her notes.

"Detective Rizzoli" was said tentatively from the door way. Jane looked up and saw a small young woman in a t-shirt and jeans.

"I'm Detective Rizzoli." Jane said standing and smiling at the girl. "How can I help you?"

"I…" she started then looked down to the floor while wiping at a tear. Jane came up to her and wrapped her arm around the girl. She looked up, "… I need to talk to you about Alley and Bethany."

Jane looked down into eyes filled with tears, "Okay… let's go somewhere a little more private." She said noticing the office was loud around them at the moment. She grabbed the box of Kleenex off of Korsak's desk before heading down to one of the interrogation rooms. She wanted to be prepared just in case because it always seemed that the boxes in the room were empty when they were needed the most.

Jane closed the door behind them, "Have a seat." The girl went to the first chair and Jane sensing the atmosphere sat in the chair beside the girl instead of across the table like she normally would have during an interrogation. "Now…" she started but paused realizing she hadn't gotten the girl's name, "I'm sorry, what is your name again?"

"Oh sorry… my name is Julie Ryan… but everybody calls me peanut."

Jane smiled at the nick name. "Okay then peanut. What do you want to talk to me about?"

"I was Alley's roommate last year in the dorms when I learned that Bethany was trying to get away from the witch of a step mom she had."

Jane thought, "Witch sounds about right," but she didn't say anything. "Peanut… did Alley have a boyfriend?" Jane wanted to get that question off her chest at the start.

"No… she only loved Bethany but she never knew it."

"What are you implying?"

"I'm not implying… I know. Alley and Bethany grew up together and were best friends until Bethany's dad married that witch. She thinks she knows all the laws of God and she treated Bethany like a slave when her dad was on the road. From what I understand he is on the road a lot. She made Bethany live in hell with all her rules. She never got to do anything unless her dad was there and if she told on her step mom she got beat the moment he left. At least that's what Alley told me." She paused a moment and wiped her eyes. "That's why she came here, to get away from the witch."

"Was Bethany in love with Alley?"

"Well… I'm not really for sure. The only reason I know that Alley loved Bethany is because I saw one of her letters to her and it kind of sounded like wishful thinking or hoping." She said looking down at her feet like she just betrayed a friend by speaking it aloud. "Anyway, I guess that really doesn't matter now does it?"

"It does matter... do you know if anyone else knew of Alley's love for Bethany?"

"No... No one knew for sure but I have a feeling that with her coming to live with Alley that people would suspect something because they were inseparable. The only time they were apart was when Alley was in class or working. I think her mom and dad knew though because Alley always addressed the letters she wrote to Bethany to her home address the few months she lived with me."

"Really…" Jane said thinking that was odd.

"Yeah... they were the ones who got Alley the town house."

"Wow..."

"Yeah... Alley's parents are great. I met them a couple of times and from everything she said about them seemed like they were great parents. She was spoiled a bit because she was the baby of three brothers." This statement gave Jane some insight to the morgue scene.

"Peanut... do you know of anyone that would want to hurt Alley or Bethany?"

"That's just it... no one really knew about Bethany because they were trying to stay under the radar because of her step mom. But there was one person that gave Alley the creeps though."

This perked Jane's ears up, "Yeah... who would that be?"

"Her boss at the internet cafe where she worked on Beacon Street, he creeped her out so much that she quit about six weeks ago." She paused and looked at Jane like she was putting a puzzle together, "She hasn't been the same since she quit that job. I just thought she was having trouble in biology and wanted to study more. At least that's what she told me when I asked her two weeks ago about it." Jane had puzzle pieces flying together right and left in her own mind. "I'm not sure if any of this is helping at all but I just had to talk to someone after I heard about everything and your name was given to me by their landlord."

Jane patted the girl's shoulder, "You have been a very big help peanut. You were a very good friend to them." She said giving the girl a tender smile.

"I have class in an hour." The girl said looking at her cell phone. Jane took one of her cards from her pocket and handed it to the girl.

"If you think of anything else, or if you just need an ear to listen feel free to call me."

"Thank you." She said leaving Jane sitting there pulling her cell phone from her belt. She had two hours before the McDermott's came to view Bethany's body. "Plenty of time to go and check out a scum bag," she thought as she left the room with purpose in her step for the first time in what seemed like days.

 **Thank you for your patience in this story. My stories evolve and if it seems like a character is not acting the way you would think... I know it and there is a reason that will reveal itself at some point in the story as to why. Most of the time, that behavior is the very point of the story.**


	9. Chapter 9

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **(Chapter Nine)**

 **P**

Maura got off the elevator about the time Jane was coming from the interrogation room. She smiled at the woman hoping that the two could have lunch. That is why she had come to the floor in the first place to ask and see if the woman would go with her to the Dirty Robber.

"Jane…"

"Hey Maur…" Jane said smiling like her normal self. "You want to go scout out a scum bag with me?" Jane said smiling feeling like her old self again.

Maura looked at her with a cross between confusion, disgusted and elation that the woman had asked her to go with her. She finally answered, "I would love too." Jane pushed the down button of the elevator. "Did you know that the word scum bag was used in the 1800 as the name of a frame covered cloth used in straining? But in 1939 it was adopted as the slang word for a condom."

"Ewe," Jane said making a face as they got on the elevator. She had let Maura google mouth because she knew she had been in a lousy mood and hadn't been fair to the woman but now wished she hadn't let her talk.

"It was only in the early seventies that it was used to mean a despicable person." Jane just looked at her and punched the button for the first floor. She didn't have to worry at the moment about her attraction to Maura because the condom thing had over shadowed it all with a shiver of disgust.

"Where do you store all that crap?" She asked looking at the woman in puzzlement.

Maura looked at her confused but was very happy to remain that way as long as Jane kept acting like her old self. "What are you talking about? I do not store crap."

"Yes, you do!" Jane said animatedly, "You store hordes of useless information in that big brain of yours." She said smiling as she stepped out of the elevator and walked to the front door waiting on the woman so she could open the door for her. Maura walked past the woman out the door as she was laughing.

They went to Jane's cruiser and got in, "So where is our scum bag located?" Maura asked innocently with a hopeful look on her face.

Jane looked at the woman and thought her heart would melt looking at the precious look on her friend face. That look never grew old, "The internet café on Beacon Street."

"Oh good… that's by BCU. Do you mind if we stop by the book store at some point, I've been meaning to pick up a book on the decomposition of animals in the ice age that I ordered a month ago?"

"A little light reading there for you Dr. Isles," Jane asked as she started the car.

"No... Just more crap to fill my head with Detective Rizzoli." She said laughing as she gave the banter back to the smiling woman.

 **XXXXX**

Jane and Maura walked back into BPD with Jane carrying three large books in her arms. "You said it was one book Dr. Isles not the Encyclopedia Britannica."

"Jane... it is only three books."

"Only three books, they are over twenty thousand pages a piece at least Maur."

"I offered to carry them." Maura said giving the woman an eye roll.

"Oh no… This is better than lifting weights at the gym, besides I won't have to use my gun to catch a perp. I will just stone them with the g section of your encyclopedia." They both were enjoying the easy banter between them with light laughter.

"Detective Rizzoli..." Jane looked up at Joe who was trying to get her attention.

"Yeah Joe... what is it?"

"The McDermott's are in the café waiting for you." She looked at her phone and noticed that the couple was early. "Thanks Joe."

"Give me those books and I will go and make sure everything is ready so they can view the body." Maura said.

"No way… I might need the g section for Mrs. McDermott alone." She said causing them both to get tickled.

"Jane... Give me ten minutes and then bring them down."

"Okay... see you in ten." She said handing Maura her books. She watched the woman all the way to the elevator.

She had enjoyed the hour and half outing with Maura even if part of it was talking with a man that gave them both the creeps. They totally understood Alley's impressions of the man that peanut had told Jane about. She couldn't prove anything yet but she was going to check the man's alibi closely and Maura had snagged the soda can that the man threw away in the trash to run DNA to see if it matched the unborn fetus. "We really work well with each other." She thought to herself.

She took in a deep breath and blew it out, "Here goes nothing." She said out loud as she made her way into the café. She saw her mother at the counter and one man sitting at a table by himself. She decided to go and scout out what was going on, so she went over to her mother. "Hey ma..."

"Janie... Where have you been? That couple over there have been looking for you."

"What couple?" Jane asked only seeing the man.

"Oh... his wife went to the bathroom I guess. Be careful Jane..." She said looking at her, "... that woman wants her husband to file a report against you for baring false witness."

"Yeah... I know ma. She told me on the phone yesterday that I was sinning."

"Oh... that's her?"

"Yeah..."

"I feel sorry for them then."

"I know... it's sad." Jane said noticing the woman had come back to the table. "I got to go ma. I'll see you later."

"Yeah... okay. Good luck." She said as Jane smiled at her and walked over to the couple.

"Mr. and Mrs. McDermott…"

The man stood, "Yes..." He said extending his hand, "I am Danny McDermott and this is my wife Judy McDermott." Jane extended her hand and shook the man's hand and offered her hand to the woman who just looked at her and rolled her eyes. Jane pulled her hand back and looked at the man with pity.

"I am truly sorry for your loss Mr. McDermott."

"You said that before on the phone. Where is the proof?" The woman barked out.

Jane took in a deep breath because she didn't want to be happy that Bethany was lying dead on Maura's table to prove the woman wrong because this was Danny's daughter and she didn't deserve to be dead. But this woman was trying her patients. She was glad Maura took her books because the woman was coming close to wearing the decomposition of animals in the ice age volumes one thru three on her head at the moment.

"If you will come with me I'll take you down to the viewing window." She said as she motioned them to go towards the elevators.

The ride down was the quietest that she had ever had. You could hear every rung of chain as it lowered them down to the morgue. Jane was almost ecstatic when the doors of the elevator opened allowing fresh air to be breathed. She swore the woman sucked up all the air in the metal box. They made the same steps to the window that the Carter's had the day before. She looked at the couple when they got to the blind covered window.

"Are you ready?" She asked and looked at Mr. McDermott since she doubted anything affected the woman. He shook his head sadly that he was ready. She knocked on the window feeling like she was having deja vu. The blinds went up slowly again with Maura standing by the body like she had stood by Alley.

Nothing... there was absolutely no sound. Jane looked at the couple and noticed that the man was just staring at the body and the woman had her hand over her mouth. "Maybe they are in shock." She thought to herself. She nodded to Maura who slowly lowered the blinds again. The couple didn't move or say a word. The elevators opened and Frankie walked out with Mr. Carter who was there to talk to Maura about getting his daughter's body and to speak with Jane.

Judy turned when the doors opened and took out running, "You... what are you doing here? Was it your daughters fault that Bethany's dead? She said and tried to hit the man but Frankie caught her before she landed any blows. Jane and Danny came running after her. When they had gotten the woman away from the man and restrained, Mr. Carter answered the woman.

"No... I'm here to have Alley's body sent back to Stockbridge! Why are you here?"

The couple froze in place and looked at the man then they all looked at Jane for an explanation.

"Frankie… Take the McDermott's to one of our rooms and I'll be right with them in a few moments. I will take Mr. Carter to see Maura first."

"We demand an explanation now!" The woman shouted.

"And you will get one in a few moments but if you cannot contain yourself you will be put in a cell for the attempted assault of Mr. Carter and a Boston Police Officer." Jane said firmly. The woman started to say something back but Jane cut her off, "Do I make myself clear?"

"Come on Judy, she will give us answers soon." Danny said and wrapped his arm around the woman and started following Frankie.

Jane heard the woman in the elevator saying, "I want answers... this isn't right."

She walked to the man, "Are you okay Mr. Carter?" He shook his head no as Jane wrapped her arm around him and started walking the man towards Maura's office.

 **I know cliffhanger but I can only get so many words written in one day... that is if you want to read it quicker. :)**


	10. Chapter 10

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **(Chapter Nine Part Two)**

 **P**

Jane got Mr. Carter into Maura's office and seated on her couch. She then texted Korsak that the McDermott's were coming up with Frankie and asked him if he and Frankie could handle the interview with them since all she wanted to do was handcuff Judy McDermott then throw her into a holding cell for a few weeks.

Maura walked in from the autopsy room and grew concerned when she saw the man sitting on her couch. She went and grabbed her medical bag to get her stethoscope out to listen to his heart beat and breath sounds.

Kosak agreed to do the interview and Jane turned and looked down at Maura who was in the process of checking the man's pulse manually. She waited until the woman released the man's wrist.

"Is he going to make it there Maur?"

"His heart rate is elevated but I believe he is okay." She said looking at the man and smiled, "How are you feeling Mr. Carter?" She asked checking on how he was feeling.

"I'm better now that those people are gone. Someone should have stabbed her not my two precious girls." He said looking at Maura with a stern face.

It wasn't lost on Jane that he called both of the girls his, "Mr. Carter I'm sorry but I have to ask, why did you call both girls yours?" Maura asked confusedly.

"Because they were, Alley and Bethany were best friends going up until Bethany turned eleven. That's when that woman out there started messing with Bethany's head by saying things like they didn't act normal towards one another. Then one day the girls had just come from seeing a movie that showed people kissing in it. When they got to Bethany's house they tried it to see what it was like and that bible Nazi out there walked in on them and threw Alley out and called her an abomination to God.

Of course, Allison and I tried talking sense to the woman about the whole thing but she would have none of it. The girls were forbidden to see each other again. We told Alley not to go over there but Bethany was always welcome to come over to our house. That's when the girls started writing each other letters and when Allison started going by Alley.

That woman was so cruel to Bethany. We would have called child services but she played her games with Bethany's head more than her body. We were so happy when Bethany finally graduated. We got the girls a town house so they could go to school together and look out for one another. I guess that didn't work out the way we hoped it would though." He said hanging his head in sadness.

"Mr. Carter I'm not sure at this point what happened to them, but we are chasing down a couple of leads." Jane said taking in a deep breath. Now she had to inform him of the fact that his daughter was pregnant. She blew out her breath and looked tenderly at the man, "I know all this has been very hard on you…" she said and patted his shoulder as she sat down beside him thanking God that Maura was there just in case he needed medical help, "… but I need to tell you that your daughter was at least six weeks pregnant at the time of her death."

The man looked up at her wide eyed, "How… when?"

"We do not know yet sir. We haven't found a boyfriend in your daughter's life."

"And you won't… she loved Bethany." He said with conviction. Jane looked at Maura with a told you look.

"Did Bethany know? Was there anyone that knew that maybe hated them?" Jane proceeded to ask.

"The only one that hated my girls was that woman out there." He said pointing to the hallway. "Bethany was mixed up with all the stuff the woman forced down her throat growing up. Alley was just happy being her friend again for the moment is what she told her mamma.

I know they had started going to a church that accepted all walks of life to help Bethany get a grip on what she believed God wanted for her life and not her step mother." He paused and hung his head again, "How am I going to tell mamma about Bethany and the baby?" He asked his own heart trying to come to terms with all the sadness and still being a good husband.

Jane and Maura's hearts both dropped in the weight of the moment. "Mr. Carter… you and your wife were great parents for those girls. You are a good husband and man. I can tell just from the little I have seen since I met you yesterday." She said smiling at him, "Maura and I would be honored if you allow us to go with you and help you tell your wife about Bethany, that is if you will let us."

"Really…" He looked up with tears in his eyes. It was almost like he had been given a reprieve from a death sentence.

"Yes…" Maura said smiling at the man and confirming Jane's offer, "… as Jane said it would be an honor." She said as Jane's phone rung.

"Rizzoli…"

"Yeah… okay… in a minute," She said as she ended the call. Mr. Carter and Maura were looking at her for an explanation. "Look… I have to go upstairs for a few but I'll be back down here shortly and we we'll go and tell Mrs. Carter about Alley.

"Take your time Jane… Mr. Carter and I will be here working out the details of getting Alley home." Maura said to the frustrated woman.

 **Forgive my delay in posting... the one year anniversary of my dad's death is coming up and I've lately try on line dating and I now have enough ammo to write a bunch of homicide cases. lol**

 **I'm too old to date I think. I haven't dated since before cell phones and man it's just brutal.**


	11. Chapter 11

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **(Chapter Ten part one)**

 **P**

Maura and Jane walked into her house after spending hours consoling Alley's parents. They were both concerned about the health of the couple and didn't want to leave them alone to deal with the heaviness of grief they knew Alley's parents would be in. They would have stayed longer but Alley's brother Matthew had made it down to Boston being afraid that his parents wouldn't be able to bare the weight of loss of their only daughter.

"I have your favorite beer in the refrigerator if you want one." Maura said as she headed to the cabinet to get a glass which she planned to fill with wine. Her normally reserved demeanor was all but worn away with the tears that had fallen at the loss of these lives. She had held Allison Carter for most of those said tears and now just wanted a moment for her own emotions to regain a zen atmosphere. She was also hoping that Jane would relax enough to open up to her about her own emotion state.

"Yeah... thanks. I might need one or two of those before the night is over." She said as she made her way over to get a cold one. She turned and watched her friend going through the motions of pouring her wine and swirling it in the glass as she became lost in her thoughts.

"How could love be a sin?" There it was again, the question that had plagued her for the past few days.

She was remembering the vile way that Mrs. McDermott had spat out, "My daughter wouldn't live in sin!" When Jane had approached telling the couple about the circumstances around the death of Bethany and Alley. She shook her head as she thought, "No... Bethany lived in hell and decided sin had to be better than religion," as she took a drink of her beer and continued to stare at Maura without realizing she was doing it.

She thought about what Alley's mother had told them, that when Alley left for college that she had allowed Bethany to come over and spend time in her daughter's room so she could read the letters Alley was sending in peace. "The Carter's had really lost two daughters and a grandchild." Jane thought and sighed a heavy sigh at the memory. She was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed Maura coming closer to her getting in her personal space. It wasn't until Maura put her hand on her fore arm that Jane realized how close the woman really was.

"Jane..." was said so gently that she felt her knees trying to buckle. She looked down into emerald eyes and again was lost in their endless concern for her. Maura reached up and slowly wiped a tear that she was unaware had fallen from off her cheek. Jane leaned into the warmth of her friend's hand while never taking her eyes off of Maura's.

"You know… I was going to kiss you this morning." Jane barley said as she was melting into the green fields of safety in Maura's eyes. It was like an out of body experience for her, just like the tear the words were out in the open before she could stop them.

She would have pulled back and ran away but she was pinned. The refrigerator was at her back and Maura was everywhere else it seemed. Even though her panic was at warp speed at the moment she couldn't take her eyes off of Maura's. She noticed that the woman's eyes didn't change to disgust or reprehension at her confession. They just held care and understanding for her as Maura took her hand and slipped it behind Jane's neck pulling her slowly down towards her.

"I know…" was spoken just before two lips touched.

* * *

 **I realize I have taken a reprieve from writing and have left at least two stories dangling in the wind. My apologize. I have played the gamete of emotions this month alone. But your patients with me will pay off in the long run... promise.**

 **This is a short but I wanted to post something this morning before work. I plan on posting later this afternoon as well. Thanks for hanging in here with me.**


	12. Chapter 12

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **(Chapter Ten part two)**

 **P**

 _"You know… I was going to kiss you this morning." Jane barley said as she was melting into the green fields of safety in Maura's eyes. It was like an out of body experience for her, just like the tear the words were out in the open before she could stop them._

 _She would have pulled back and ran away but she was pinned. The refrigerator was at her back and Maura was everywhere else it seemed. Even though her panic was at warp speed at the moment she couldn't take her eyes off of Maura's. She noticed that the woman's eyes didn't change to disgust or reprehension at her confession. They just held care and understanding for her as Maura took her hand and slipped it behind Jane's neck pulling her slowly down towards her._

 _"I know…" was spoken just before two lips touched._

Jane lost the ability to process thought. She was having thousands it seemed at one time but none that would register enough to be able to register but two. "They are as soft as I remember." Was the thought about the lips touching hers, then "How can something that feels this right be wrong?"

The last thought caught her reasoning side and she broke the kiss. "What are we doing?" She asked after a deep breath.

"Kissing." Maura said with a puzzled look on her face.

"I know that," Jane said smiling at the woman and started to say something else but Maura stopped the word progression with her own on Jane's again.

This time Jane had full control of reason and thought but decided to go with feelings instead, as she wrapped her arms around Maura to pull the woman in tighter to her. Neither stopped the kiss when Jane dropped her beer on the floor as Maura requested entrance into her mouth by the brush of her tongue across the woman's bottom lip. She just granted the request and placed the now empty hand on the small of Maura's back. Time stood still for moments and yet it felt like eternity wasn't long enough to be connected to the woman in her arms. Jane had thought that Maura's lips were pure velvet before but nothing could have prepared her for the ecstasy of the woman exploring the depths of her mouth. It all ended to soon when air was needed for deprived lungs. They broke apart but kept their fore heads joined taking in deep breaths of air. Neither really wanted to talk. The past days had been so draining that they both were just willing to absorb the warmth each other for the moment. Finally... Jane was the one who caved, "I dropped my beer." She said but wasn't giving any room for Maura to move away so she could get it.

"There's more." Maura said on an intake of a breath and smile.

"Wow... " was all that Jane could think of saying. Maura would normally be on her knees with paper towels in her hands wiping up the spilt beer. She really didn't know where to go from where they were. It was like she had entered her best dream of Maura and her and she didn't want to let go fearing that she would wake up and Maura wouldn't been there but her pillow. That had happened so many times before, that she had lost count. "Real lips were much better than a pillow." She thought to herself.

"Are you okay?" Maura asked becoming concerned at Jane's sudden quietness.

"I am... are you?" She asked finally pulling back to look Maura in the eyes.

"I'm at a lose of words at the moment." She said but smiled at Jane and placed her head on Jane's chest letting her know she was okay with what had happened but hadn't processed everything yet. She was on over load.

"I get that." Jane said and kissed the woman's head. They stood in that position for several moments, until Maura broke the silence, "Jane..."

"Hummm..."

"Stay here tonight..." there was a big pause of silence as Jane was trying to figure out what Maura had in mind.

"I want you to hold me... nothing more." She said and tightened her grip on Jane. Taking in a deep breath she pulled away a bit and noticed the tears in Maura's eyes. In that one look Jane understand it all. Maura wanted to be there for her but was shaken by experiencing all the loving emotions Mr. and Mrs. Carter had for their daughter. Her best friend had never experienced parents that showed that much emotions towards their child let alone love them that much.

"Maur..."

"Shhh..." Maura said and took Jane's hand and led her up the stairs. She wasn't concerned about the beer on the floor or the glass of wine on the counter. At that moment all she wanted in the world was the only loving arms that had been in her life around her... Jane's.

* * *

 **okay... I kept my promise... :) I will try a longer chapter tomorrow. This is really going to be a twist and very sweet. Just hang with me.**


	13. Chapter 13

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **E**

 **(Chapter Eleven part one)**

Jane was starting to wake up because of a numb pain shooting through her left arm. She wiggled her fingers trying to get circulation back in them but was unable to lift her arm. She popped open one eye to see what the issue was and she found that the weight on her arm was the head of her best friend sleeping on her bicep. She closed the eye and took in a breath trying to remember if she had drunk too much the night before. She didn't have to think hard because she remembered only getting a couple of sips of one beer before dropping it on the floor.

"Damn… I'll have to mop Maura's floor since we left it there." Was her first talking thought, she didn't get another as the head on her arm started moving and hazel eyes were now looking into hers. "Good morning," was rasped out.

Maura lifted her head up from Jane's arm; she was still in the fog of waking up as she looked around the room trying to understand why she was sleeping on Jane's arm. Then memory flooded her brain as pictures of the two of them kissing flashed in her head.

Jane sensed the moment of truth and sat up as the needles were pricking her arm signaling the blood was now flowing down to her hands. "Are you okay?"

Maura looked around at her, "I… yesterday was so…"

Jane had never seen her best friend unable to complete her sentences before, "Do you want me to leave?" She asked in a panic of emotions on the inside.

"No…" was firmly said as arms reached around her.

Blowing out a held breath of relief Jane wrapped her arms around Maura and kissed the top of her head. "Good… because I really didn't want to." She said as she guided them back to a laying position. They stayed that way, both being afraid to speak and break the spell they had woken up in but the silence was broken when Maura's alarm clock went off and Jane hit it shutting the beeping noise off.

"Why do you set that thing? You always wake up ten minutes before it goes off anyway… you are an alarm clock." Maura started laughing… it was a perfect ending of a magical experience. "What are you laughing at?" Jane asked looking down at the giggling woman.

"Us…"

Jane got a puzzled look on her face as Maura looked up at her. "What about us?"

"No matter what happens between us we can always pick up like everything is normal." She said and kissed Jane's cheek letting the woman know that she was okay with what happened last night figuring that her friend probably wouldn't want to talk about it.

"Well, all I got to say is… when we get down stairs don't be yelling at me because there is beer all over your floor." She said as they both started laughing breaking the tension of the elephant in the room.

"We really do need to talk about that but to be honest I still can't at the moment. I do not regret it but I haven't processed everything yet either." Maura said explaining the fact she wasn't planning on talking about the previous night.

"Does that mean we have to get up right now?" Jane asked not really wanting to release Maura from her arms.

"No… I'm not ready for you to stop holding me either." She said and turned and gave a half smile. "What are we going to do about the Carter's Jane? We have to find the murder of their daughters so they can have closer."

"I know… " she started to say when they heard noises from the kitchen. Jane had a sudden panic attack, "That's my mother… oh God I got to get out of here." She said popping up and ran to the guest room and jumped under the covers. Maura was left in her bed with her mouth wide open just watching the retreating woman running for the door like she was a teenager that was going to get in trouble.

After Jane was gone she looked at the door and got out of the bed putting her robe on, "There will be a lot of processing to do on both sides today I see." She said to the air as she walked out of her room and headed down to see what Angela was doing in her kitchen so early.

* * *

 **I know this is a brief up date but I'm trying to post quicker. I am going to try and fix a situation that may let me get back into my old or better groove in writing.**


	14. Chapter 14

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **E**

 **(Chapter Twelve)**

Maura turned the corner from the stairs and almost stepped on Angela as she was heading into the kitchen.

"Watch out!" Was yelled up in a panic.

"Angela…" Maura said being startled at the woman kneeling at her feet. "I didn't see you there. What are you doing?"

"Cleaning up after my sloppy daughter… that's what. I know she was the one who spilt this beer all over your floor and left it here." She said waving here arms over the space before her. "You do not drink beer."

Maura brought her hand up to her nose and rubbed it trying to hide the smile that came with the knowledge of how the beer got on the floor in the first place. "Don't worry about that. I will mop it up later… I'm sure she just got distracted and meant to clean it up." She said knowing it really was the truth and she wasn't in danger of hives at the explanation.

"Where is she? I will at least have a talk with her about cleaning up behind herself."

"Oh…" Maura looked up the stairs, "We got in late last night and she is in the guest bedroom." She said breathing a sigh of relief for that too was the truth at the moment. "Why are you in here so early?"

"Oh… I needed to borrow your big stock pot today. Alma never returned mine and I wanted to make some broth up." She said as she washed her hands and grabbed the big pot and lid. "Tell Jane I want to talk to her. There is no excuse…"

"Angela it really is okay… trust me. Jane has had a rough time with this case… give her some rope."

Angela looked at the woman puzzled then realized she was saying "give Jane some slack." She smiled and patted Maura on the arm as she was leaving, "Okay… if you aren't mad and it's your floor then why should I be?" She said and left.

When the woman had totally gone into the cottage house Maura turned to face up the stairs and yelled up, "You can come down now the ocean is clear."

Jane popped her head around and looked down at Maura, "You mean the coast is clear."

"What?"

"You mean the coast is clear." She said as she came down the stairs.

"Yeah… that too," Maura said laughing as she reach and hugged the woman. Jane just smiled and kissed the woman's head like it was an everyday event for them to greet each other this way.

They both weren't ready to talk about all the ramifications of what had happened the night before and neither were ready for it to end either so they did what they always did… incorporated it into their relationship without words or questions for the moment.

"I see ma cleaned up the beer." Jane said looking down at the floor.

Maura pulled away, "Yes she did while fussing at you the whole time."

"Me…" She said with a whine pointing back at herself, "You were the one that caused me to drop it in the first place then pulled me up the stairs before I could clean it up."

"Yes… I was…" She said and smiled a satisfying grin, "…did you want me to admit that to your mother?" She asked with the grin still on her face.

"God… no!"

"Well then…" she basked in the moment awhile longer. "Don't worry Jane… I explained you were probably distracted and meant to clean it up and to give you some rope since this case has been a tough one."

Jane gave her the same look that Angela had given her when she had said the same thing to her earlier, "That's give me some slack… Maur." Jane said when she finally pieced together the woman's meaning.

"Whatever… she is okay with you now." She said as she went to make an expresso. "What are you planning to do with the investigation today?" She asked giving them something different to talk and think about.

"I thought I would go and check out that church that the girls were going too. Maybe the pastor might know something."

"Oh… I would love to go with you. I haven't spoken with Pastor Catherine in over a year."

"Pastor Catherine…" Jane said looking totally out of the loop that Maura knew the Pastor of a church.

"Yes… I spoke with her at a charity function to feed the homeless in our city."

"Of course you did." Jane whispered under her breath and smiled. She loved how giving Maura was.

"What was that?"

"I said I would enjoy your company." She said as she took the first cup of fancy coffee that Maura handed her.

"Good… We can go after breakfast." She said and smiled at Jane. She was also hoping that Pastor Catherine just might have some words to help them with their new development as well.

* * *

 **We are coming around the bend...**

 **Oh...for those not use to my writings... :p**

 **when I mention twists... they come in the most unexpected places and most of the time not the**

 **next chapter. There is still a twist coming in this story but even I am not sure where**

 **it will be put. That's what makes it fun for me too.**


	15. Chapter 15

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **(Chapter Thirteen Part One)**

 **P**

Jane and Maura walked into the Community church office and asked if they could speak with Pastor Catherine. They were directed to the sanctuary where she was with a group of young people that were boxing up clothes and can goods to be taken to a local shelter.

Maura walked up to the woman and tapped her on the shoulder. The woman lifted up and turned and when she realized it was Maura trying to get her attention she opened up her arms wide and hugged the woman.

Jane felt it was a bit too tight in her opinion and stepped forward letting the woman know that she hadn't come alone. After all this was a gay church and the pastor was a woman. She cleared her throat when the stepping forward hadn't broken the two apart.

Maura pulled away and smiled, "Pastor Catherine this is Detective Jane Rizzoli." The woman extended her hand to be shaken. Jane took it but was a little upset that Maura didn't introduce her as her best friend Jane.

"Nice to meet you." Jane said half forcing a smile.

They were interrupted by a young man asking if there was any more stuff to go to the shelter. Catherine held up a finger towards the women signaling them to wait there so she could give instructions to the boy.

"Get a grip on yourself Rizzoli… she is a priest." Jane said to herself, "No she's not and she can have a girlfriend." Was the next thought. "Stop it!" She chided herself for her thoughts as she waited for the woman to give them her attention.

"Friendly isn't she…" Jane so much as said instead of asking when she noticed Maura still looking at the woman. She just couldn't help herself. The woman had hugged Maura tighter with only meeting her twice than she had in the many years that she had known her.

"She is a very caring person Jane." Maura said not realizing the spark of jealousy in Jane yet.

"Now how can I help you ladies?" Catherine said coming back to them.

Jane decided to take the lead, "We need to talk to you about Allison Carter or Alley and Bethany McDermott."

The woman gave a sorrowful sigh and actually fought back a tear. "I see…" she said and motioned for them to join her in sitting on the chairs behind her.

"We have been told that they came here often." Jane said trying to prompt the woman to talk to them.

"Alley was a member here for over a year and Bethany had just joined the church a few weeks ago but had been coming for months before."

"Can you tell us about their relationship or if there was anyone who might want to hurt them?"

Maura could tell that Catherine was having a conflict with confidentiality just as she would have concerning a patient's privacy. "Catherine… we understand that you may be conflicted but we really need any information you might know to help catch their killer and give closer to their parents."

Catherine looked up at Maura, "Alley adored Bethany… she reminded me and my first girlfriend in college. She had all these plans of saving Bethany from the chains of religion and her step mother's beliefs.

Jane looked at the woman funny, "You are a priest… that's all chains of religion... looks like she won." It was now all about Pastor Catherine's beliefs to Jane.

The woman laughed, "I am a pastor yes but I live by grace and love not judgement and religious laws."

Maura watched as Catherine and Jane started the question and answering session. She knew after the reaction of Jane that morning with Angela that the woman needed to talk with someone so her spiritual side would be able to live with her physical in peace but she knew that Jane's own Catholic bravado was rearing up.

"No laws…" Jane said shaking her head confused. "What about the ten commandments aren't those laws?"

"Detective… all the commandments in the book can be summed up in two. Love God with all your heart and love everyone the way you love yourself. Jesus himself said this. Romans 13:8 says, "Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law."

"Yeah… yeah…" She said now becoming uncomfortable with bible quotes, "But isn't it a sin for you to be a pastor and gay too?" Jane finally asked the question she had wanted to ask since she walked in.

"Jane…" Maura jumped in shocked at the woman's insensitive question.

"It's okay Maura… I got this one." Catherine said to the upset woman.

"I am married to a man…" she started but Jane interrupted her.

"You said you had a girlfriend," was shot back almost like an accusation.

"I did… in my early twenties but I am bisexual and am now married to my husband."

Jane stood up and walked outside. She needed air to clear her head and get back focused because they really needed answers for this case. Her personal things were clouding her ability to ask the right ones to help her solve the girls' murders.

"I think I may have offended her." Pastor Catherine said as she looked at Maura.

"No… you didn't… not really." Maura said half smiling at the woman, "I think this whole case has landed on some nerves that she didn't know were exposed."

"Oh… is she coming to grips of being in love with you?"

Maura looked at the woman shocked, "Excuse me…"

She smiled, "It doesn't take a vision or a prophetic communication to see that you both are totally infatuated with each other."

Maura cleared her throat and fidgeted with the hem of her dress. "I… of… I…"

"It's okay Maura… you can't stop loving someone because of their gender."

"I know that and I do not have any issues with same sex relationships." She gave back in her composed voice.

"No you don't… with everyone else's but it's a heavy weight when you find it's your own heart that has picked the same sex though." She said feeling compassion on the two that were just finding their journey.

* * *

 **Breaking this up so I can post it quicker... now be patient i have a busy couple of weekends coming up. I will post as quickly as I can... but a girl has a life besides fanfiction. I have to make sure I'm writing thing right... ;)**


	16. Chapter 16

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **(Chapter Thirteen Part Two)**

 **P**

Jane walked out to the sidewalk and leaned up against the building. She had stood there for over fifteen minutes thinking. It had infuriated her that Pastor Catherine was married to a man. She had no reason for it or answer to why any of it should bother her at all. But the emotion just shot up from the pit of her stomach without warning.

"Was it because this woman did as she pleased switching from a woman to a man whenever?" She wondered to herself.

Romans 13:8 says, "Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law." The woman's words just kept repeating over and over in her head.

"If love is the only law then why the need to cram all the other crap down our throats." She said out loud.

"Because we as humans need things to be broken down." Jane looked up and noticed Pastor Catherine standing beside her. "We had to understand what love is and not what we think it feels like." Jane looked at her with an "explain that one," look.

"Instant gratification or greed to some could feel like loving themselves. But it's only a scratch and doesn't heal the rash causing the itch. If not healed the rash can exile someone from other's not wanting to be infected. It could even kill them. Not to mention the lust/need to be scratch which only spreads the rash further on the body causing more harm."

"No wonder Maura likes you." Catherine looked at her now being the puzzled one. "You talk all gross body rashes goo." She said waving her hand and making a face causing the woman to laugh.

When she regained herself from laughing, "I'm sorry if I offended you."

"Nah I'm used to it she does it all the time." Jane said rolling her eyes as she talked about Maura.

Catherine smiled, "I was talking about earlier… inside."

"Oh…" Jane said as she realized what the woman was talking about. "…it's okay. Your beliefs are very different from the Catholic church where I was brought up."

"I get that. I was raised in a Pentecostal home."

"Ouch… Isn't that all religion. You can't wear pants or makeup thingy?"

"Pretty much and more."

"But you said your girlfriend helped you out of religion… why did you leave her?"

"I didn't she did… after school she got a job in California and my mother became ill so I stayed here for her instead of moving with her. Sandy found that it was too hard to remain faithful in a long-distance relationship so we broke up."

"Is that why you went back to men?" Jane asked thinking she had finally found an answer.

"No… I dated other females for several years after Sandy." She paused knowing what Jane was trying to get at. "Jane… I even had an issue admitting that I liked Tony when it was happening. I was supposed to be a lesbian and here I had romantic feelings for a man." Jane looked at her and she could tell there was a question behind the detectives furrowed brow. "Go ahead Jane… ask me your question."

"How did you know I wanted to ask a question?"

"It's written all over your face."

Jane took in a breath and opened her mouth then closed it… then tried again, "You all of a sudden loved a man. Doesn't that make you heterosexual or do you step out for a woman every now and then?"

She looked at the woman and realized she wasn't being sarcastic, "Well… that is technically two questions." She paused again trying to make sure she said the right words to Jane. "No… I do not step out of my vows to Tony. But when a nice looking female or male that I might be attracted to if I were single passes by I will take a second look." Jane looked at her shocked. "What… I'm human and live in a physical body that has desires and attractions but my love for Tony is stronger than those moments of attraction. It's my natural attractions that make me a Bi-sexual."

Jane looked at the ground pondering her words. "So… how do you know what you are if you have only been attracted to one?" Jane asked more to herself than to Pastor Catherine.

"Jane… I'm going to answer you the way a bartender explained it to me when I was catching a lot of flak about being a lesbian and loving a man and was pondering your very thought." She looked up at the woman intrigued because she wasn't quoting scripture. She wasn't even quoting psychology or philosophy even. "He told me to fall in love with the person and not the sex."

Jane had a peaceful resolve come over her face. "Bartender's give good advice and cold beer too." She thought and smiled. "Where's Maura?" She asked as they started walking back into the sanctuary.

"I do not know. She was here pondering something I said before she asked me to check on you outside." She said looking around the empty sanctuary.

They were walking back to the office thinking that she might have gone in there to wait or something when a girl walked past them at a quick pace. Jane recognized it was the girl from BPD and called out, "Peanut?"

The girl stopped and turned and recognized Jane right away. "Hey…"

"You two know each other?" Pastor Catherine asked.

"Yes ma'am… we met at the police station."

"Police station?" She asked concernedly of her young helper.

"I went and talked to Detective Rizzoli about Alley and Bethany there."

"Oh…" she said as the sadness returned to the pastor's face.

"I guess she wanted to talk to you too." She said looking at Jane to see if she was correct.

Jane shook her head in acknowledgement, "We need as much information as possible."

"I thought so… that's why I told that lady you were with about our lockers here at the church. I knew Alley's lock combination and opened it for her." Jane's eye got big at the hope of maybe catching a break to the case.

"Where are those lockers Peanut?" Jane asked in a cross between excitement and rush.

* * *

 **I know... I know... but you love me anyway.**


	17. Chapter 17

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

 **(Chapter Thirteen Part Three)**

 **P**

Maura was sitting in a chair looking at what seemed to be a journal when Jane, Pastor Catherine, and Peanut walked into the girls' restroom downstairs. Jane noticed tears running down her friend's cheeks and went over to her, "What wrong Maur… what did you find?" She asked as she stood beside the woman looking over her shoulder at the pages the book was opened to.

Maura looked up at the noise that had broken her solitude and closed the book then wiped the tears from her eyes. "Jane… I need to get back to the lab before Bethany's body is released to her parents."

Jane started to ask the question again of what Maura had found… but deiced the look in the woman's eyes was enough information to get her heading back to BPD. "Yeah… sure." She said as Maura went to where Catherine and Peanut were standing.

"Thank you both for your help…" she said as she hugged both of them then pulled back, "…I would like to take the clothes and personal effects back to the Carter's if you do not mind."

"No… go ahead. I was going to clean out the locker and take the contents to the funeral but you can do it if you like." Catherine said with the tears now running down her face too. The sadness that Maura was feeling seemed to fill the room and the woman couldn't hold them back anymore.

Maura stepped forward pulling the woman back into a tight hug, "You were a refuge for those girls and they loved you." She whispered into the pastor's ear. Pastor Catherine pulled back and fled the room before she broke into sobs. Maura turned to Jane, "Let's go," she said as she noticed that Peanut had boxed up the rest of the locker's contents and was handing it to Jane.

The ride back to BPD was quiet, even though Jane was biting at the bit to know what Maura had read. But she knew that the woman was in her doctor mode and needed to ponder her avenue of pursuit for the truth.

 **XXXXX**

Maura walked into the lab and looked at Suzie, "I need Bethany McDermott's body on my table. I will be back here in five minutes I need to change."

"Right away Dr. Isles." She said and went to get the body set up with a puzzled look on her face. But did not question her boss's request even though she knew the McDermott's funeral people would be there to sign for the body in an hour to return her to Stockbridge.

Jane had the box with Alley's personal affects in her arms, "Maur… where do you want this?" She asked as Maura was about to pass her going to change.

"Oh…" she stopped realizing Jane was still with her, "… please put it in my office." Jane started to turn and do as she had been told until she heard Maura call out her name. "Jane…" turning she looked at her, "I know you want to know what I have found… but thank you for not pressing it. I will have answers for you in about two hours." She said and half smiled as she walked past her with the journal clutched to her chest.

Jane stood there and watched the woman walk into her locker room and wondered how much more strain on their emotions this case would manifest. She had never seen Maura in so many tears. "We have to close this case soon for the Carter's sake and now she wondering if for Maura's sake too." She turned and walked to her friends office to explore what was thrown into the box she was holding hoping something in there would point to the bastard who had killed these girls.

* * *

 **I know it's short but this is the finish of chapter thirteen. Things had to be set up.**

 **For those who are wondering... I have found someone I really enjoy spending time with. Yes it is part of the distraction but after 11 years of being alone just be happy for me. I promise not to abandon my stories or my series... just finding the proper balance is all. :)**


	18. Chapter 18

*** I own nothing of Rizzoli and Isles I just have the privilege of playing with the characters for a while.**

t

(Chapter Fourteen)

Jane was on her way back to BPD. She had found a card in a jacket that Alley had left in her locker at the church. Normally she would have just called Donald Enhearten but she needed air and to burn time so she wouldn't go and push Maura for answers on what she found in Alley's journal. The look in her friend's eyes told her that it was a better idea to leave her alone with her thoughts and lab results at the moment.

She had found out some very interesting information from Mr. Enhearten who sold life insurance for a living. It seemed that Alley & Bethany had talked to the man about changing the beneficiaries of their childhood policies to each other instead of their parents just ten days before their murders. He also told Jane that there was a child to be named later.

This let her know that Bethany knew about the pregnancy and Alley was planning on having the child. If the scene hadn't been laid out another way than it had been, her thoughts might have wondered to murder suicide with this new information. But it was apparent that Bethany died protecting Alley with everything she had and that Alley was the source of rage for the murder… given the over kill to her body.

She had thought it was a little odd that two young girls would be thinking of life insurance so early in life and had asked if they had given any indication that they were worried about anything. Donald told her, "…they were just looking out for one another at least that is what they had told him." He also told her that both parents were notified by letter to the changes in policies and that the women would be taking over the premiums. But the beneficiary information wasn't provided.

This made her to start wondering about Judy McDermott. The letters had to have made it to the parents before her call on Sunday and yet the woman acted like Bethany was in the middle of the jungle on a missionary trip. "Maybe she hadn't opened the letter." She thought to herself then laughed out loud. "Yeah… right…" she said out loud, "…and mosquitoes don't suck blood." But why the rues… what was the woman hiding?" She asked herself.

But those questions would have to be asked later because she had pulled up to BPD and needed to get any information that Maura had found out. She looked at her phone and noticed three hours had passed and the M.E. hadn't called or texted anything. "She said she would have something in two hours, something's not right." She thought to herself as she quickened her steps inside to the elevators.

She stepped out of the elevator and almost ran into Suzie. "Oh… Sorry Suzie." She said as she caught the woman before mowing her over. "You okay?"

"Yeah… I think so." She said as she righted the folders in her arms. "This is getting to be a dangerous place to work."

Jane looked at her puzzled, "Why?"

"People running everywhere, funeral people yelling, and parents brawling."

Jane understood the first and last part of the woman's statement. She had almost run her over and Mrs. McDermott had threatened Mr. Carter. "What people were yelling?"

"The hearse drivers that were here to pick up Bethany McDermott's body."

"Why were they yelling?"

"Because Dr. Isles wouldn't release the body to them."

"Do you know why?" She asked hoping to get more information before poking the bear for it.

"I'm not sure at this point. She is running all the test and taking all the x-rays herself."

Jane looked at the woman knowing Maura was on to something if she was handling the processes herself. "Is Dr. Isles in the lab or her office?"

"She is in the lab…" she hesitated a moment, "…but I wouldn't interrupt her right now. She is very focused."

Jane started to walk towards the lab saying, "She's always focused Suzie," but the woman reached out and caught Jane's arm.

"No… you do not understand Dr. Isles yelled at the men when they called the girls' mother."

Jane stopped in her tracks, now curious by Suzie's comments. "Maur was yelling?"

"Yes…"

"Why?"

"I'm not sure, all I heard was her yelling "You will not take this girl and destroy evidence of a vicious crime," then she turned and walked back into the autopsy room leaving the man to handle a yelling woman on the other end."

Jane figured the yelling woman on the phone had to be Judy McDermott. Now she was left wondering wither to poke the bear or start planning a trip up to Stockbridge. She decided to go upstairs and dig around in the woman's life because she needed more information before she made the trip.

* * *

 **Forgive the lapse... I will try and wrap up this story next week. I am meeting someone this weekend and our first date is going to be a hot air balloon ride. :)**


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